editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Pam Fessler is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, where she covers poverty and philanthropy. In her reporting, Fessler covers homelessness, hunger, and the impact of the recession on the nation's less fortunate. She reports on non-profit groups, how they're trying to address poverty and other social issues, and how they've been affected by the economic downturn. Her poverty reporting was recognized by a 2011 First Place Headliner Award in the human interest category. Previously, Fessler reported primarily on homeland security, including security at U.S. ports, airlines, and borders. She has also reported on the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, the 9/11 Commission investigation, and such issues as Social Security and election reform. Fessler was also one of NPR's White House reporters during the Clinton and Bush administrations. Before becoming a correspondent, Fessler was the acting senior editor on the Washington Desk and oversaw the network's coverage of theNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Pam FesslerSun, 05 Nov 2017 07:16:46 +0000Pam Fesslerhttp://wmra.org
Pam FesslerHouse Republicans say the tax bill they introduced Thursday will grow the economy, create jobs and simplify tax returns, in part by eliminating tax deductions. "Over 90 percent of Americans will be able to fill out their taxes on a postcard. That's what simplicity means," House Majority Whip Steve Scalise said. But charities and nonprofit groups say that simplicity comes with a price. Even though Republicans promise to preserve the deduction for charitable donations, these groups say other proposed changes in the bill will discourage giving. Steve Taylor, senior vice president and counsel for public policy at United Way Worldwide, notes that about a third of taxpayers currently itemize their deductions, including for charitable donations. "Under this new proposal, only about 5 percent of people will itemize their taxes," he says. "What that means is effectively millions of Americans that currently claim the charitable deduction will lose it." The Republican plan would double theNonprofits Fear House Republican Tax Bill Would Hurt Charitable Giving http://wmra.org/post/nonprofits-fear-house-republican-tax-bill-would-hurt-charitable-giving
91187 as http://wmra.orgSat, 04 Nov 2017 09:00:00 +0000Nonprofits Fear House Republican Tax Bill Would Hurt Charitable Giving Pam FesslerThe work of President Trump's commission studying voter fraud and other voting problems has been stalled by the eight lawsuits filed against it, according to one commission member. Indiana's Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson says the suits, which seek release of all of the commission's correspondence, among other things, have had a "chilling" effect. Some Democrats on the 11-member panel have complained in recent weeks that they're being kept in the dark about its activities and plans. But Lawson says she doesn't think anybody's being shut out because "right now, there's nothing going on." Speaking to reporters after testifying about voting matters on Capitol Hill, Lawson says her understanding is "that they wanted to get some of these lawsuits settled and then move forward." "It's very chilling to know that you can't really work without somebody suing over something that you've done," she adds. "We're not emailing each other. We're not conversing with each other." Liberal'Nothing Going On' With Trump Voter Fraud Commission Due To Multiple Lawsuitshttp://wmra.org/post/nothing-going-trump-voter-fraud-commission-due-multiple-lawsuits
90784 as http://wmra.orgThu, 26 Oct 2017 09:23:00 +0000'Nothing Going On' With Trump Voter Fraud Commission Due To Multiple LawsuitsPam FesslerThis fall's statewide elections in Virginia and New Jersey are the first big test of security measures taken in response to last year's attempts by Russia to meddle with the nation's voting system. Virginia was among 21 states whose systems were targeted by Russian hackers last year for possible cyberattacks. While officials say the hackers scanned the state's public website and online voter registration system for vulnerabilities and there's no sign they gained access, state authorities have been shoring up the security of their election systems. One of the most drastic steps was a decision by the Virginia Board of Elections earlier this month to order 22 counties and towns to adopt all new paper-backed voting machines before November. The board decided that the paperless electronic equipment they had been using was vulnerable to attack and should be replaced. "Got thrown a curve ball," says David Bjerke, director of election in Falls Church, a city in northern Virginia that was amongLearning 2016's Lessons, Virginia Prepares Election Cyberdefenseshttp://wmra.org/post/learning-2016s-lessons-virginia-prepares-election-cyberdefenses
89625 as http://wmra.orgTue, 26 Sep 2017 10:05:00 +0000Learning 2016's Lessons, Virginia Prepares Election CyberdefensesPam FesslerUpdated at 8:15 p.m. ET One of the public's unanswered questions about Russia's attempts to break into election systems last year was which states were targeted. On Friday, states found out. The Department of Homeland Security said earlier this year that it had evidence of Russian activity in 21 states, but it failed to inform individual states whether they were among those targeted. Instead, DHS authorities say they told those who had "ownership" of the systems — which in some cases were private vendors or local election offices. State election officials were finally contacted by federal authorities on Friday about whether their election systems were among those targeted for attack last year by Russian hackers. State election officials have complained for months that the lack of information from the federal government was hampering their efforts to secure future elections. "We heard that feedback," says Bob Kolasky, acting deputy undersecretary for DHS's National Protection and10 Months After Election Day, Feds Tell States More About Russian Hackinghttp://wmra.org/post/10-months-after-election-day-feds-tell-states-more-about-russian-hacking
89515 as http://wmra.orgFri, 22 Sep 2017 20:32:00 +000010 Months After Election Day, Feds Tell States More About Russian HackingPam FesslerA fact-finding hearing by President Trump's commission looking into voter fraud exposed self-inflicted rifts among its members during the panel's second meeting Tuesday in Manchester, N.H. Days earlier, the panel's Republican co-chairman, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, wrote a column in Breitbart News claiming that there was proof of enough voter fraud in New Hampshire last November to possibly have influenced the outcome of a Senate race. That did not sit well with another commission member, New Hampshire's longtime secretary of state, Democrat Bill Gardner, who happened to be the host of Tuesday's commission meeting. Gardner said Kobach's column caused a "problem" by questioning whether last year's election was "real and valid." "It is real and valid," he said, to the applause of some in the audience. But Gardner said he could see why there might be confusion. His state has complicated residency rules about who can and can't vote, which might lead some people to conclude thatTension And Protests Mark Trump Voting Commission Meetinghttp://wmra.org/post/jacksonville-fla-faces-historic-flooding-after-hurricane-irma
89231 as http://wmra.orgTue, 12 Sep 2017 22:55:00 +0000Tension And Protests Mark Trump Voting Commission MeetingPam FesslerWhat was already expected to be a contentious second meeting for President Trump's Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, on Tuesday in Manchester, N.H., is likely to get a whole lot more contentious thanks to a column written by the panel's co-chair. Although the chairman, Vice President Pence, said in that first meeting that the commission has "no preconceived notions or pre-ordained results," the panel's co-chair, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, seemed to contradict him in Breitbart News last week. Kobach claimed that "now there's proof" of voter fraud in last year's election, enough to have likely changed the outcome of a key Senate race. He cited a report that more than 5,000 New Hampshire voters used out-of-state drivers' licences as identification and have yet to update those licenses, even though new residents are required to do so within 60 days of moving to the state. "It is highly likely that voting by nonresidents changed the result," wrote Kobach, one of the fewTrump's Voting Commission Embroiled In New Controversy Ahead Of Next Meetinghttp://wmra.org/post/trumps-voting-commission-embroiled-new-controversy-ahead-next-meeting
89187 as http://wmra.orgTue, 12 Sep 2017 09:00:00 +0000Trump's Voting Commission Embroiled In New Controversy Ahead Of Next MeetingPam FesslerCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: One of the most difficult parts of disaster recovery can be finding housing. Tens of thousands of Texans left homes that were destroyed or too damaged to return to any time soon. NPR's Pam Fessler reports that government officials are trying to figure out where all these people will live in the months and even years ahead. PAM FESSLER, BYLINE: Retiree Boyd Coble is one evacuee who's eager to find out what happens next. He's been staying at a makeshift shelter run by a Houston mosque after sheriff's deputies insisted he leave his flooded home Tuesday morning. Coble was reluctant to go. BOYD COBLE: I didn't want to leave my home behind. I have lived there for 30 years, never had water in the house. I want to be home. FESSLER: But the prospects for that are bleak. When Coble left, his floors had already buckled. He said it was almost like they were floating. Former FEMA official Brad Gair estimates that tens of thousands of floodThousands Of Harvey Flood Victims Will Likely Need Long-Term Temporary Housinghttp://wmra.org/post/thousands-harvey-flood-victims-will-likely-need-long-term-temporary-housing
88794 as http://wmra.orgFri, 01 Sep 2017 20:32:00 +0000Thousands Of Harvey Flood Victims Will Likely Need Long-Term Temporary HousingPam FesslerNow that the rain has stopped and floodwaters are slowly starting to recede, government officials are figuring out where tens of thousands of evacuees in Texas and Louisiana can stay. The White House estimates about 100,000 houses were affected by the storm. Many were destroyed or are too damaged to live in. More than 30,000 people are staying in emergency shelters and will soon be in need of permanent accommodations. Based on the experience of people whose homes were damaged after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy, it could be months, even years, before flood victims will be able to return home. Finding temporary housing is one of the biggest challenges in disaster recovery, says former FEMA official Brad Gair. He was thankful to see so many rescues this week but says he also had another reaction. "Most people are looking at it and saying, 'Thank God, we've saved another family.' I look at it and say, 'Oh my God, there's another family we're going to have to figure out how toAt Least 100,000 Homes Were Affected By Harvey. Moving Back In Won't Be Easyhttp://wmra.org/post/least-100000-homes-were-affected-harvey-moving-back-wont-be-easy
88762 as http://wmra.orgFri, 01 Sep 2017 09:00:00 +0000At Least 100,000 Homes Were Affected By Harvey. Moving Back In Won't Be EasyPam FesslerCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Disaster relief groups have begun distributing massive amounts of aid throughout flooded parts of Texas - food, water and medical supplies. They anticipate the need for help will grow in the weeks and months ahead. As NPR's Pam Fessler reports, it can be a challenge making sure the right charitable aid gets to the right place at the right time. PAM FESSLER, BYLINE: Derrick Chubbs is president and CEO of the Central Texas Food Bank in Austin. They weren't directly affected by this week's floods, so he says they're in a good position to help colleagues who weren't so lucky like the Houston Food Bank, which was shut down by the storm. Now the Central Texas Food Bank is sending in emergency supplies. DERRICK CHUBBS: Such as handheld snack items because, you know, there are many instances where there probably won't be a can opener and there's not likely any power. FESSLER: They also sent a truck full of meat today to the San AntonioDisaster Relief Groups Distribute Aid To Flood-Ravaged Texashttp://wmra.org/post/disaster-relief-groups-distribute-aid-flood-ravaged-texas
88645 as http://wmra.orgTue, 29 Aug 2017 20:32:00 +0000Disaster Relief Groups Distribute Aid To Flood-Ravaged TexasPam FesslerDisasters like the flooding that has followed Hurricane Harvey, displacing thousands of people, always create a tremendous need for help — and a tremendous desire to provide that help. But those who have dealt with disasters before say people need to be careful about how they contribute to disaster relief, and when. Cash donations are almost always preferred over items — such as blankets, clothing and stuffed animals — often sent into overwhelmed disaster areas by well-meaning donors. Nonprofit groups say in this case that they're also preparing for an extremely long recovery, and that the needs almost certainly will change over time. Still, there's been an immediate outpouring of aid , even as flooding continues to devastate areas of Texas and threaten Louisiana. The American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other groups already have received millions of dollars in donations to provide shelter, food and other assistance to flood victims. And almost 300 online GoFundMe campaigns haveWant To Help Hurricane Harvey Victims? Experts Say Donate Cashhttp://wmra.org/post/responding-harvey-will-be-long-term-issue-plan-cash-donations-match
88612 as http://wmra.orgTue, 29 Aug 2017 09:00:00 +0000Want To Help Hurricane Harvey Victims? Experts Say Donate CashPam FesslerWhen people in several North Carolina precincts showed up to vote last November, weird things started to happen with the electronic systems used to check them in. "Voters were going in and being told that they had already voted — and they hadn't," recalls Allison Riggs, an attorney with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. The electronic systems — known as poll books — also indicated that some voters had to show identification, even though they did not. Investigators later discovered the company that provided those poll books had been the target of a Russian cyberattack. There is no evidence the two incidents are linked, but the episode has revealed serious gaps in U.S. efforts to secure elections. Nine months later, officials are still trying to sort out the details. It all began shortly after polls opened at 6:30 a.m. on Election Day in Durham County. North Carolina was a key battleground state in a presidential race in which Russian interference was already a huge concern.Russian Cyberattack Targeted Elections Vendor Tied To Voting Day Disruptionshttp://wmra.org/post/russian-cyberattack-targeted-elections-vendor-tied-voting-day-disruptions
87885 as http://wmra.orgThu, 10 Aug 2017 19:49:00 +0000Russian Cyberattack Targeted Elections Vendor Tied To Voting Day DisruptionsPam FesslerIn the thick of the presidential race last summer — Donald Trump was attacking Hillary Clinton over Benghazi; Clinton was widening her lead in the polls — FBI agents uncovered something odd. On June 28, federal cyber experts noticed that the network credentials of an Arizona county elections worker had been posted on a site frequented by suspected Russian hackers. The password and username discovered by the FBI could let someone access the state's voter registration system. Two weeks later, Illinois' state Board of Elections IT staff noticed a startling spike in activity involving their voter registration system. Malicious queries were hitting it 5 times per second, 24 hours a day, looking for a way to break in. The Illinois state officials took their website offline. They discovered to their surprise that the attack had begun three weeks earlier and originated from somewhere overseas. Both incidents were a wake-up call for an increasingly nervous cybersecurity and elections community.Timeline: Foreign Efforts To Hack State Election Systems And How Officials Respondedhttp://wmra.org/post/timeline-foreign-efforts-hack-state-election-systems-and-how-officials-responded
87445 as http://wmra.orgMon, 31 Jul 2017 09:00:00 +0000Timeline: Foreign Efforts To Hack State Election Systems And How Officials RespondedPam FesslerA presidential commission born of a presidential tweet held its first meeting on Wednesday to look into problems with voting that may undermine the public's confidence in elections. But the tweet in question, where President Trump alleged without evidence that millions of people voted illegally last November, hung over the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity's first meeting after Trump made a surprise appearance. "Every time voter fraud occurs, it cancels out the vote of a lawful citizen, and undermines democracy. Can't let that happen. Any form of illegal or fraudulent voting, whether by non-citizens or the deceased, and any form of voter suppression or intimidation must be stopped," said Trump. The commission has been controversial from its inception. When it was set up in May, it was described as "bipartisan." But the two leaders — Vice President Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach — are both Republicans. Kobach and several other members are among theTalk Of Voter Fraud Dominates First Meeting Of Election Integrity Commissionhttp://wmra.org/post/talk-voter-fraud-dominates-first-meeting-election-integrity-commission
86996 as http://wmra.orgWed, 19 Jul 2017 21:18:00 +0000Talk Of Voter Fraud Dominates First Meeting Of Election Integrity CommissionPam FesslerPresident Trump's Advisory Commission on Election Integrity holds its first public meeting on Wednesday under what seems to be an ever-expanding cloud. The panel has faced credibility problems right from the start, and the concerns have only grown: The commission was proposed by Trump earlier this year to investigate his belief that as many as 5 million people voted illegally last November — an allegation dismissed as unfounded by the vast majority of the nation's election officials and experts. When the commission was set up in May, it was described as "bipartisan." But the two leaders — Vice President Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach — are both Republicans. Subsequent appointments have also raised eyebrows. Some on the 12-member panel have little or no election experience — such as Maryland Deputy Secretary of State Luis Borunda, who resigned earlier this month citing a heavy workload. Four of the seven Republicans on the panel — Kobach, former Ohio Secretary of StateAmid Skepticism And Scrutiny, Election Integrity Commission Holds First Meetinghttp://wmra.org/post/amid-skepticism-and-scrutiny-election-integrity-commission-holds-first-meeting
86958 as http://wmra.orgWed, 19 Jul 2017 08:56:00 +0000Amid Skepticism And Scrutiny, Election Integrity Commission Holds First MeetingPam FesslerLost in the uproar last week over a written request by a White House commission for state voter registration lists was another letter sent that same day. It came from the civil rights division of the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ), and asked states for details on how they're complying with a requirement in the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) — also known as the motor-voter law — that election officials keep their voting lists accurate and up to date. The timing and focus of the two letters — one from the commission and the other from DOJ — has made some voter advocacy groups nervous about what the Trump administration is up to, and whether its ultimate goal is to weaken or revamp the motor voter law. "It's very concerning," said Brenda Wright, vice president of policy and legal strategies at Demos, a liberal advocacy group that's been fighting state efforts to purge voters from the rolls. Wright notes that the main purpose of the motor voter law is to expand opportunities toAdvocates Worry Trump Administration Wants To Revamp Motor Voter Lawhttp://wmra.org/post/advocates-worry-trump-administration-wants-revamp-motor-voter-law
86537 as http://wmra.orgSat, 08 Jul 2017 09:00:00 +0000Advocates Worry Trump Administration Wants To Revamp Motor Voter LawPam FesslerA letter from Kris Kobach, the vice chairman of a White House commission looking into voter fraud and other irregularities, is drawing fire from some state election officials. The letter, sent Wednesday to all 50 states, requests that all publicly available voter roll data be sent to the White House by July 14, five days before the panel's first meeting. The information requested includes the names, addresses, birthdates, political party (if recorded), last four digits of the voter's Social Security Number and which elections the voter has participated in since 2006, for every registered voter in the country. Kobach, who is also Kansas' Republican secretary of state, did not say how the commission plans to use the data other than to help it "fully analyze vulnerabilities and issues related to voter registration and voting." However, Kobach has long advocated comparing state voter rolls with other government databases to identify noncitizens or other illegitimate registrants. VoterWhite House Panel Asks States For Their Voter Rollshttp://wmra.org/post/white-house-panel-asks-states-their-voter-rolls
86222 as http://wmra.orgThu, 29 Jun 2017 22:50:00 +0000White House Panel Asks States For Their Voter RollsPam FesslerMost Americans - 59 percent — think everything possible should be done to make it easy for citizens to vote. Almost 80 percent say they oppose making voting mandatory. These are the results of a new survey from the Pew Research Center, which comes as partisan disputes over voting requirements continue in courts and legislatures across the country. The poll shows a sharp partisan split over how easy it should be to cast a ballot. While 84 percent of Democrats favor making voting as easy as possible, only 35 percent of Republicans think that should be the case. Instead, 63 percent of Republicans — compared to 15 percent of Democrats — think citizens should prove they want to vote by registering in advance. These differences over access to the ballot box underlie much of the ongoing debate over new voting laws and requirements. Democrats generally support measures such as allowing voters to register and vote on the same day, and automatic voter registration, while Republicans tend toShould It Be Easier To Vote? Americans Are Deeply Divided By Partyhttp://wmra.org/post/should-it-be-easier-vote-americans-are-deeply-divided-party
86159 as http://wmra.orgWed, 28 Jun 2017 14:36:00 +0000Should It Be Easier To Vote? Americans Are Deeply Divided By PartyPam FesslerWhat would it cost to protect the nation's voting systems from attack? About $400 million would go a long way, say cybersecurity experts. It's not a lot of money when it comes to national defense — the Pentagon spent more than that last year on military bands alone — but getting funds for election systems is always a struggle. At a Senate intelligence committee hearing last week about Russian hacking during last year's election , Jeanette Manfra , the acting deputy under secretary for cybersecurity at the Department Homeland Security recommended that election officials have a paper-based audit process to identify anomalies after an election. While that's the advice most cybersecurity experts give, right now more than a dozen states use electronic voting machines that have no paper backup. Replacing those machines would go a long way toward protecting one of the core functions of democracy, says Larry Norden of the Brennan Center for Justice in New York. "I don't think that would cost aMaking U.S. Elections More Secure Wouldn't Cost Much But No One Wants To Payhttp://wmra.org/post/making-us-elections-more-secure-wouldnt-cost-much-no-one-wants-pay
86136 as http://wmra.orgTue, 27 Jun 2017 21:30:00 +0000Making U.S. Elections More Secure Wouldn't Cost Much But No One Wants To PayPam FesslerRussia's efforts to interfere with last year's elections will be front and center during two hearings on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson will appear before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence while the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will hear from current U.S. intelligence officials and state election experts. Here are five questions likely to be on lawmakers' minds as they listen to witnesses and ask questions. 1. How extensive were Russian efforts to hack into U.S. election systems last year? Right now, it's not clear but here's what we know so far. Last June, the FBI alerted Arizona election officials that a known Russian hacker had gained access to a county employee's username and password and that someone using those credentials tried to gain access to the state's voter registration database. That effort did not appear to be successful. In July, a computer expert working for the Illinois State Board of5 Questions Ahead Of The Election Hacking Hearingshttp://wmra.org/post/5-questions-ahead-election-hacking-hearings
85869 as http://wmra.orgWed, 21 Jun 2017 08:00:00 +00005 Questions Ahead Of The Election Hacking HearingsPam FesslerThe Florida elections vendor that was targeted in Russian cyberattacks last year has denied a recent report based on a leaked National Security Agency document that the company's computer system was compromised. The hackers tried to break into employee email accounts last August but were unsuccessful, said Ben Martin, the chief operating officer of VR Systems, in an interview with NPR. Martin said the hackers appeared to be trying to steal employee credentials in order to launch a spear-phishing campaign aimed at the company's customers. VR Systems, based in Tallahassee, Fla., provides voter registration software and hardware to elections offices in eight states. "Some emails came into our email account that we did not open. Even though NSA says it's likely that we opened them, we did not," Martin says. "We know for a fact they were never opened. They did not get into our domain." Instead, Martin said, the company isolated the suspicious emails and alerted law enforcement authorities,Despite NSA Claim, Elections Vendor Denies System Was Compromised In Hack Attempthttp://wmra.org/post/despite-nsa-claim-election-vendor-denies-system-was-compromised-hack-attempt
85832 as http://wmra.orgTue, 20 Jun 2017 16:18:00 +0000Despite NSA Claim, Elections Vendor Denies System Was Compromised In Hack Attempt